FLORENCE, SC – For the past few years work has been done to revitalize downtown Florence.
More recently it includes the construction of new businesses, the new Francis Marion University Health Sciences Complex and new apartments.
“It’s pretty much a good thing for us,” mentioned Don Strickland, Director of Operations for Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority.
With the help of the city, PDRTA’s central transfer point has moved from South Dargan Street to behind the Palmetto Petro gas station on the corner of Darlington and Irby Street.
Right now, there are roughly 700 people that ride the bus on a daily basis.
“You know really it has been a small bus shelter. The sidewalks were in rough shape. Folks in wheelchairs had a tough time transferring from one bus to another,” said Strickland, when discussing the old location.
Over the past couple of years there has been discussion about a change in location.
.”Our low point is when we had to end the Medicaid service…we ended up losing a lot of operators and a lot of staff it was a tough time,” Strickland explained.
A year removed from its low point, PDRTA hopes to turn the corner.
“Folks are starting to become more familiar with the service and i can see us being well over 200,000 trips in the near future,” said Strickland.
This will be the Florence transit’s permanent central transfer location.
To take a look at bus routes and schedules click here.
